The State Bar of California first adopted a program for certifying legal specialists in 1985. (See Rules Governing Accreditation of Specialty Certification Programs for Attorneys, section 1.0 et seq.) Other recognized specialities include family law, criminal law and probate, among others. The Bar first began offering an appellate specialty certification to the general bar membership in 1996. The purpose of the specialty program is to identify to the public attorneys who have demonstrated proficiency in the specialty fields and to encourage attorney competence.

An application for certification consists of two parts. The first is a written examination; the second is a comprehensive and detailed written application demonstrating compliance with the remaining requirements for the particular specialty.

I took the written examination in August 1996 and submitted the written application in approximately December 1996. My certificate was issued on September 1, 1997.